In the vast land of China, railways play an irreplaceable role as a bridge connecting cities and villages. However, in the midst of this extensive railway network, there is a special railway station located in Gushi County, Henan Province, which is still facing the fate of closing, despite the unique preferential policy of passengers receiving a 50% subsidy on the ticket price for a single train ride.
This railway station is Gushi Railway Station, a third-class station that stands quietly on the Ningxi Railway. Opened in 2003, it opened in 2006 with 22 trains stopping here every day. However, despite so many train stops, the number of passengers at Gushi Railway Station is always unsatisfactory.
Gushi County is the most populous county in Henan and a large agricultural county, with a total population of more than 1.78 million and more than 700,000 migrant workers every year. However, despite its large population base and frequent train stops, Gushi Railway Station sends only 6 passengers a year50,000, and the number of arriving passengers was 850,000, and the annual shipment volume is only 130,000 tons, far less than 1% of the automobile transportation.
There are two main reasons why Gushi Railway Station is so deserted. First of all, its location is too remote, about 35 kilometers away from Gushi County, in the middle of the entire Ningxi Railway, no matter the train from ** to here is basically the middle of the night, and it is extremely inconvenient for passengers to transfer. Secondly, Gushi Station is the only railway station with its back to the county seat but is named after the county, which undoubtedly increases the confusion and inconvenience of passengers.
In order to change this situation, Gushi County has adopted a series of preferential policies. Since September 17, 2016, for the poor households who have set up a local file and set up a card, whether they get on or off the bus at Gushi Station, they can get 100% of the fare reimbursement. In addition, passengers who board the train at Gushi Station will receive a 50% subsidy on the fare, regardless of where they are registeredFor Gushi passengers who get off at Gushi Station, a one-time bus subsidy of 10 yuan will be given. However, these measures have not been effective in improving the flow of passengers at the station.
Gushi County is rich in historical and cultural resources, with historic sites and ancient buildings scattered all over the county. Famous attractions include West Kowloon Hua Mountain, General Chen's Ancestral Hall, Myoko Temple, Huayang Big Buddha Mountain Tourist Scenic Area, etc. Among them, West Kowloon Huashan is the largest eco-tourism destination in the Central Plains that integrates "tea, bamboo and Zen", with beautiful scenery and only 30 minutes' drive from Gushi Station (bus No. 918).
However, despite its abundant tourism resources, Gushi Station has never been very popular. This may be due to its remote location and poor operation, or it may be due to the low level of awareness and trust that travelers have in the station.
In this era of rapid development, rail transport is playing an increasingly important role. However, the fate of Gushi Railway Station is full of twists and turns and helplessness. It once carried the dreams and hopes of countless people, but now it is under threat of closure. This is undoubtedly a question worth pondering: while pursuing modernity and convenience, should we also pay attention to those forgotten corners and neglected people?
In the face of such a dilemma, should we take more measures to improve the operation of Gushi Railway Station?Should we increase the promotion of Gushi's tourism resources to improve the awareness and trust of tourists?Should more attention be paid to remote railway stations that are affected by their location and operational conditions?These are all questions that we need to think about and solve.
In this era full of changes and opportunities, we look forward to Gushi Railway Station ushering in new development opportunities and challenges. Hopefully, it will be rejuvenated and energized in the days to come and become a bridge connecting people's dreams and hopes.